More turmoil at Western Force
From the Sportal Rugby Union website:
More turmoil at Western Force
21/4/2012 11:49 AM by Adam Lucius
They have already survived one player-led revolt - now Western Force officials are bracing for another showdown if they fail to appoint popular caretaker coach Phil Blake to a fulltime contract.
As first revealed on Sportal on Friday, the Force bowed to player pressure and sacked Richard Graham after he announced midweek he was off to the Queensland Reds in 2013.
Now the players want a further say in the future direction of the club, demanding Blake be given first shot at the top job.
The former rugby league star will take the reins for the rest of the season in conjunction with assistants Nick Styles and Andrew Scotney, but the club is said to be chasing Michael Cheika for 2013 and beyond.
Australian-born Cheika, coach of Stade Francais in the French Top 14 competition, is routinely linked with any job which crops up in his homeland.
Cheika was described as 'abrasive and divisive' by one top-ranking official on Saturday and the 'wrong' option for Force to take, but he still remains the front runner.
Those closely involved in rugby union in the west believe the beleaguered club desperately needs a coach who can not only deliver on the field, but is well respected off it and can rebuild the Force's fragile culture.
According to the players, led by influential skipper David Pocock, that man is Blake.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is another huge Blake supporter, having worked with the ex-league whiz over the past two seasons.
Deans is desperate for Blake to remain in Australia, with rumours suggesting the 48-year-old will shift overseas if knocked back by the Force for the heading coach role.
Sportal understand several off-contract Western Force players are anxiously awaiting developments and will depart if Blake is not given the top job.
But if he is, the majority of players are likely stay and could be joined by at least one senior and highly regarded Wallaby from a rival Australian franchise.
"It's a very tense situation with phone calls going back and forward around the clock," one source told Sportal.
"If they get this wrong then it could have major repercussions on the playing roster.
"The players want Phil Blake and if they don't get their way there could be a huge fallout."